What should I do if I was injured in a DUI accident?

What should I do if I was injured in a DUI accident?

Being hurt by a drunk driver is different from being hurt in an ordinary accident. The other driver made a choice — a conscious, illegal choice — that put your life at risk. What you do in the days immediately after that accident can determine how much justice you are able to recover.

Call 911 and make sure a police report is filed.

This is non-negotiable in a DUI accident. The police report will document whether the driver was tested, cited, or arrested at the scene. That report becomes the foundation of your entire claim. If officers did not conduct a sobriety test at the scene, your attorney can pursue toxicology records and other evidence independently — but the police report is where it starts.

Seek medical attention immediately.

Adrenaline and shock are powerful. You may feel fine and still have a concussion, internal bleeding, or soft tissue injuries that will not surface for hours or days. Go to the emergency room or urgent care the same day. A gap between the accident and your first medical visit is one of the first things an insurance adjuster will use to question the severity of your injuries.

Do not speak to the drunk driver’s insurance company.

Their adjuster will call you. They will be professional and move quickly. Their job is to settle your claim for as little as possible before you understand what it is actually worth — especially in a DUI case where punitive damages may be on the table. You have no obligation to give them a recorded statement. Do not do it.

Contact Cohn & Swartzon LLP before accepting anything.

DUI accident cases can involve multiple insurance policies — the driver’s personal auto policy, an umbrella policy, and in some cases employer coverage if a commercial vehicle was involved. We investigate every available source of recovery from day one. We also take over all communication with the insurance companies so you never have to navigate that alone.

Punitive damages — which go beyond compensating your losses and exist to punish the drunk driver’s reckless behavior — are available in California DUI cases. They are not guaranteed, but they are absolutely something we pursue where the facts support it.

A consultation is always free. You speak with an attorney directly, not a case manager. There are no fees unless we recover for you.

Call us at 888-480-3883. Your job is to recover. Our job is to get you justice.